Presently known approaches for preventing duplication or counterfeiting of documents have focussed on printing information on original documents using specially designed inks or materials; camouflaging validation information in background patterns; or producing relief patterns on the document in the form of embossed characters. These methods generally allow the information to be viewed in some special manner on the original, but due to the unique color, texture, or reflective properties of the material, or relief structure, do not allow the information to be readily discernible on a photocopy or duplicate of the original.
These techniques may generally provide protection from the unauthorized duplication or counterfeiting of valuable documents, but the security measures that are effected through the practice of these techniques may still, however, be circumvented by unscrupulous copyists and counterfeiters who are familiar with these techniques and possess machinery to circumvent these measures. Thus, those who seek the protection provided by these techniques may still be vulnerable to some extent.
There thus remains a need to provide a counterfeit proof and copy proof original document and a technique for validating a document that is unique to the document and/or source who seeks the security measures provided by this technique, so that the chance of successful duplication or counterfeiting of the document is further minimized.